A Conservative government after the general election would abolish means tested pensions leaving people with a flat rate "if they paid in", David Cameron has announced.

The Prime Minister said: "From April 2016 we're bringing in a single tier pension. This will effectively abolish means testing the pensions of people who've contributed all their lives. We're effectively saying 'whoever you are providing you've put into the system, you will get out'.

Labour has previously said it would strip winter fuel payments from the richest 5% of pensioners and the Liberal Democrats would means-test the benefits.

However the Prime Minister will say it is "wrong" to call the perks a luxury:

Say that to the older woman who can keep warm tonight on this cold February evening, because she's been given the money to heat her home.

Or the widower heading into town on the bus, doing his shopping, seeing people for the only time that week. Or the bedbound lady whose whole day is brightened by the TV, or the sick man whose pain is kept at bay.

Comfort, independence, companionship, health - these aren't luxuries; they're what people who have worked and saved all their lives deserve. And think what we would give up if we did take them away - the principle that if you've done the right thing, you will get the benefits of living in Britain.

In an attempt to woo the 'grey vote,' pensioner benefits will continue to be protected if the Conservatives win the general election, David Cameron will pledge today.

In a repeat of the promise the Prime Minister made ahead of the 2010 poll the following will be shielded from cuts:

Universal winter fuel payments

Free bus passes

Television licences

Mr Cameron has faced pressure from within the Conservatives to abandon the policy, which has seen wealthy pensioners benefiting while millions of other welfare recipients have faced dramatic reductions in state help.

UKIP leader Nigel Farage has said he believes the Conservatives will be the biggest party after the general election in May.

Mr Farage said while Tory leader David Cameron "looks like" a leader, which he said he believes many traditional Conservative voters find "reassuring" - though warned that "blue collar" Tory voters were disillusioned.

Nigel Farage has said he believes the Conservatives will be the biggest party come May Credit: PA

As for the opposition, he said, Ed Miliband had lost traditional Labour voters as he could not "connect" with them.

Ed's problem? Can you imagine Ed going into a working man's club in Newcastle for a drink? I can't. It just doesn't work.

You've got a Labour leader who's not connecting with that traditional vote.

You've got a Conservative leader who is connecting with middle-class Tories but has completely lost the support of more blue-collar Tories.

The Prime Minister is set to highlight falling unemployment and rising wages as a sign that the government's economic plan is working.

In a speech in Felixstowe today, David Cameron is expected to promise a "brighter future for hard-working people" as he praises the government's record on the economy, and will say he is "determined to go further" in creating more jobs.

David Cameron is expected to praise the government's economic record in a speech today Credit: PA

It comes as Chancellor George Osborne said his plans would see 250,000 new jobs created in the East of England alone by 2020.

Our long-term economic plan is working in the East of England. The region has 80,000 more businesses and the fastest growth in employment in England outside London.

I am determined to go further and we will keep working through our plan to secure a brighter future for hard-working people across the East of England by making the most of the region's strengths in science, defence and energy, ensuring we have world-class infrastructure and backing business to create more jobs.

– Prime Minister David Cameron

Official figures released yesterday revealed that the the number of people out of work in the UK fell by 97,000 in the three months to December, down to 1.86 million - almost half a million down on a year ago.

Meanwhile, employment increased by 103,000, to just under 31 million - the highest since records began in 1971.